Preparation Classes/ Training for Liveaboards

[justakiss]

Originally Posted by tedowens

I agree with previous comment on boat show seminars and SSCA (also they have online classes). Other things that we did: Twocansail.com seminars - details for couples that want to cruisie together, Wilderness First Responder (https://www.nols.edu/en/coursefinder...responder-WFR/) - hands on first aid training when help is not near by.

Ted,
Thanks. We've heard off the Wilderness First Responder course. One of or boat neighbors will be shoving off in two years, and they plan on doing that course. Thanks for the links too!

[Paperbird]

Definitely attend the SSCA GAM next weekend. You'll learn a bit, but will meet a lot of other cruisers and can learn from them.

Get a blog reader and 'follow' other cruisers. Most post about lessons they learn along the way. From projects to anchorages, to places to go, blogs are a wealth of info. It's also nice to live vicariously through others' experiences.

Before we untied, we put together a pretty expensive checklist of things to and figure out and do, particularly for the last 6 months or so. Other posters have hit on many of them. At a high level, we thought about things in terms of:

- the boat: all the stuff associated with getting the boat 'cruise-ready' (very different from Bay sailing), what spares you'll need (there's always the odd piece you didn't think about)
- the crew: keeping the crew safe, onboard, fed, repaired (medical), entertained (books for us), etc
- the voyage: where to go, how to get there (navigation), when to get there (weather) how to get in there (customs), etc.

Even with all that prep, we didn't know what we didn't know. Major lesson that took quite a while was to learn to live without a schedule. Probably took us 6 months to adjust to the reality and stop trying to force a schedule onto our cruising. Then it took a while longer to really learn the main weather lesson "don't go if the weather isn't right." Then it took another while to learn the second main weather lesson "if the weather window is right, go."

The other main lessons are all about you. What kind of places do you like? e.g. - in the Bahamas, some love the Abacos, some the Exumas. Some people love Georgetown, some not so much. How do you like to travel? My wife started out not a fan of offshore. Now she chooses offshore, multi-day passages every time. We've also settled into our own preference for watch standing at night. Do you prefer marinas or anchoring?

In all those things, there are no right answers, only answers that are right for you.

Most of all, it's a journey. Not just a journey on the boat, but a learning journey. Enjoy the journey!

We're close by (for another couple of weeks) - up in Galesville this week, then at the GAM, then casting off and wandering the Bay for awhile before heading south whenever the hurricanes let us. Love to connect if you'd like. feel free to email us: longsmail at paperbird dot us.

All the best!!

[SimonV]

Seriously, if you can spend a couple of weeks on your boat anchoring out every night and moving to the next anchorage every couple days, using your dinghy as a car, walking or getting a bus to the markets and back then cruising is like that most days only if you find a nice spot to hang out exploring and fishing you get to spend as much time as you like. Fresh safe drinking water is your biggest issue. There is nothing worse than up anchor to get water or smokes so get a watermaker. It's not rocket surgery and once really cruising you will meet likeminded people who over drinks will tell you everything you never knew especially heads. All cruiser get togethers conversations turn to heads.

[justakiss]

Originally Posted by Paperbird

Even with all that prep, we didn't know what we didn't know. Major lesson that took quite a while was to learn to live without a schedule. Probably took us 6 months to adjust to the reality and stop trying to force a schedule onto our cruising. Then it took a while longer to really learn the main weather lesson "don't go if the weather isn't right." Then it took another while to learn the second main weather lesson "if the weather window is right, go."

Greg,
Excellent thoughts and advice - thank you! We agreed with everything you said, but condensed your comments to the quote above. When I shared your quote with my wife, she adamantly agreed. Mindset is critical.

We will miss you at the GAM since it's a kids weekend for us, and unfortunately sailing isn't on their 'fun' list. Maybe I need to develop a video game that uses a sailboat loaded with rockets, missiles and machine guns to garner their interest...
We will be back on our boat September 30th though.

Thanks

[conachair]

Originally Posted by justakiss

Greg,
Excellent thoughts and advice - thank you! We agreed with everything you said, but condensed your comments to the quote above. When I shared your quote with my wife, she adamantly agreed. Mindset is critical.

Or a very open mindset

And in that vein this gem is worth repeating.

Every day

Originally Posted by estarzinger

I will comment that almost no-one, no matter how they prepare, is actually prepared/ready/aware of what it is actually going to be like. It is just a whole different thing than any books or classes prepare you for.